Oxford man accused of planning OHS attack

OXFORD – Joshua Brandon Pillault of Oxford is under arrest, accused of threats to recreate Colorado’s 1999 Columbine attack that killed students and teachers.
Late Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Norman asked the court to order a psychiatric evaluation for Pillaut, on suspicion that he may be suffering from a mental illness that could prevent him from helping defend himself.
Federal court records show Pillault, about 20, of 106 Combs St., appeared before Magistrate Judge Jane M. Virden on Tuesday after his arrest Monday.
He’s being detained temporarily until a hearing today in Greenville.
A sworn affidavit from FBI Special Agent Daniel C. Blount claims that on Oct. 4, Pillault was accused of making threatening communications on the Internet to someone in Virginia playing a computer game called “Runescape.”
Blount, who works on terrorism and national security matters, said a chat log shows someone calling himself “Paul Gilbert” said to look for the last name “Pillault” in the news next year marking Columbine High School’s attack anniversary in April.
“Paul Gilbert made threats to kill people and blow up Oxford High School,” the FBI affidavit states.
The person named “Gilbert” reportedly threatened to use multiple weapons, explosives and Molotov cocktails to re-enact the Columbine massacre.
The initial calls about “Gilbert” came to the Oxford Police Department from Virginia and England.
The England caller worked for a Cambridge gaming center and reportedly sent OPD details from the Pillault online conversations.
“Gilbert” allegedly told the gamers he intended to kill himself but he saw it as a waste without killing other people first.
“Ask me anything about the massacre. I know it all,” the online chat reads. “I can’t wait to blow brains out of skulls.”
An Internet trace claims to show that the computer from which the threats came was in Oxford, at the home of Pillault’s mother.
Blount also stated that Pillault attended Oxford High School but dropped out without graduating and had some 20 disciplinary actions against him for “disruptive behavior.”
His arrest came after Judge Mike Mills signed Blount’s affidavit, which charges Pillault with using interstate and foreign communication to make threats to injure people and destroy buildings by explosives.
Blount also asked to search Pillault’s property for weapons, ammunition, explosives and computers.
patsy.brumfield@journalinc.com